We have a special affection for Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, the priest who carried the stigmata for 50 years. So many wonderful stories of faith, healing, and forgiveness surround his simple life, with most stories bordering on the impossible. It is pure grace to be reading the stories that surround his life, and I swear, even a full-pledged atheist will find his religion in the presence of a great spiritual leader that is Padre Pio.

My insatiable quest for more Padre Pio stories led me to a beautiful chapel in Libis, Quezon City called The Philippine Center of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. When I entered the chapel, rows and rows of testimonies of Padre Pio’s intercessions for people from all walks of life lined its walls. A cloth from his blood-soaked glove, along with his life-size statue were made part of the altar. There, you can kneel down and write him a letter to empty your heart’s burden. Truly, it is a place of sanctuary for anyone who wants to seek Padre Pio’s intercession, as I have did a thousand times over.

I will soon dedicate an entire post to introduce Padre Pio; I have so much to share about this controversial priest. But for now, let me just help The Philippine Center for St. Pio of Pietrelcina promote their 2nd Grand Pilgrimage Tour to Europe which is scheduled on October 1 – 18, 2008.

The said tour will have Fr. Emmanuel Victor Clemen as Pilgrimage Chaplain. The cost of the whole tour is $4,178 per person, and will have the following itinerary:

Oct 1, 2008: MANILA – ROME

Travel from Manila to Rome (economy class)

Oct 2, 2008: ROME

Upon arrival in Rome, meet your local guide for sightseeing. View the the Coliseum, site of gladiatorial combats and early Christian martyrdom. See also the Roman Forum, Piazza Navonna, Spanish Steps, and the exquisitely beautiful Trevi Fountain. (Lunch included)

Oct 3, 2008: ROME

Still in Rome, visit the Vatican Museum to admire the frescoes of Michelangelo at the Sistine Chapel, where you will also see the Greek and Roman antiquities and collections of religious arts. See also St. Peter’s Basilica, dubbed as the most magnificent church in Christendom. The rest of the day is for your own activities. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 4, 2008: ROME – SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO

Drive to Pietrelcina, hometown of St. Padre Pio. Visit his house and the Church of Santa Maria Deli Angeli. Proceed to San Giovanni Rotondo for the night. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 5, 2008: SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO

Visit the shrine of Padre Pio at the Basilica of Our Lady of Grace. Meditate on the life of the miraculous saint, most beloved of confessors, who received the stigmata – the five wounds of Jesus Christ. Ample time will be given for prayer and meditation, to be ended with a Eucharistic Celebration.

In the afternoon, drive to Saint Michael’s Cave where Saint Michael the Archangel was said to have appeared. Visit the new basilica and the grotto; then head back to San Giovanni Rotondo for the night. (Breakfast and Dinner included.)

Oct 6, 2008: SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO – ASSISI

Leave for Lanciano to visit the Church with the Bleeding Host. Continue to Assisi for the night. (Breakfast and Dinner included).

Oct 7, 2008: ASSISI – FLORENCE

Arrive in Assisi and celebrate the Holy Eucharist  in the Basilica. Appreciate the home of the religious order who devotes themselves to the ideals of humility, forgiveness, simplicity, and love for all God’s creatures. Learn about the monastic life and view the priceless frescoes adorning the walls of the church. Head to Florence for the night. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 8, 2008: FLORENCE – VENICE

Enjoy sightseeing in Florence, the city of Michelangelo’s classics. See the treasures of the city from the Renaissance period. Visit, too, the magnificent Santa Maria del Fiore. Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s Gate of Paradise, and the sculpture-studded Signoria Square. Continue to Venice for the night. (Breakfast and Dinner included).

Oct 9, 2008: VENICE ISLAND

Cruise by private launch to St. Mark’s Square and absorb the city’s Byzantine atmosphere. Other highlights of your walking tour are the Byzantine Cathedral, Doge’s Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs. You will also be taken to a glass-blowing factory and may join an optional gondola serenade. Back to Venice Mestre for the night. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 10, 2008: VENICE – COMO

Cruise along the lake and enjoy the sights of the lake summer bungalows of the rich and famous. Rest of the day is for your leisure and shopping. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 11, 2008: COMO – MONTE CARLO – NICE

Drive to the exhilarating Monte Carlo of the principality of Monaco. See the Grimaldi Palace, and visit the Cathedral where Princess Grace and many other Monegasque Royals are buried. Arrive at Nice, the home of the rich and famous. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 12, 2008: NICE – LOURDES

Leave for Lourdes via Montpellier and meditate at the Lourdes Grotto after dinner. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 13, 2008: LOURDES

Celebrate the Holy Eucharist in Lourdes, France. You may wish to bathe in the miraculous water of the Lourdes Grotto, or simply go through the life-size Stations of the Cross. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 14, 2008: LOURDES – LYON

Leave for Lyon via Narbonne. Spend the night at Lyon, one of France’s major cities. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 15, 2008: LYON – PARAY LE MONIAL – NEVERS – PARIS

Drive to Paray Le Monial where you may attend a Eucharistic Celebration at the chapel where the Sacred Heart of Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Alacoque. Her incorrupt body lies at the side altar. Continue to Nevers to visit the Monastery of St. Gildard. View the incorrupt body of St. Bernadette and pray at her favorite spots in the garden. Proceed to the most romantic city in the world, Paris. (Breakfast and Dinner included)

Oct 16, 2008: PARIS

Sightseeing of Paris will include both sides of the Seine. View the Cathedral of Notre Dame, one of the greatest Gothic churches in the world. See the majestic Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysee, and Place de Concorde.  Go up the Eiffel Tower for a scenic view of the loveliest city in the world. A guided visit to the Louvre Museum, and a cruise along the Seine River are also included in the tour.

Oct 17, 2008: PARIS – MANILA

The day is yours to spend for your own activities until you are due to the airport for your flight back home.

Oct 18, 2008: MANILA

Arrive in Manila, Philippines.

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The cost mentioned above includes the following:

• roundtrip economy class ticket
• hotel accommodation on first class hotels (twin/triple sharing)
• meals as indicated
• transportation on air-conditioned coach
• tour with English-speaking guides
• porterage of one luggage per person
• souvenir hand-carry bag
• pre-departure briefings with giveaways

Not included in the cost are:

• all applicable taxes
• cost of passport and visa documentation
• medical/hospitalization/travel insurance
• cost of optional tours
• tips and gratuities ($8/day) for tour and transfer guides, drivers, porters, etc.
• cost of excess baggage
• meals other than indicated
• personal items: laundry, telephone calls, etc.

For details on Visa Requirements and other concerns, please get in touch with the following:

• Ms. Gigi Gaerlan – 0917-5040300
• Mr. Dondi Gaite – 0922-8581276
• Philippine Center for St. Pio of Pietrelcina – 6343668 or admin@saintpiocenter.com

The Philippine Center for St. Pio of Pietrelcina is located at 188 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Bagumbayan, Quezon City Philippines. For directions on how to get there, please click here.